There was an eerie moment during last Friday night's bicycle races at the velodrome in Trexlertown, when a familiar figure said he wanted to fetch something from his car, and returned with a set of nuts and bolts strung like a necklace on a wire. Darrel Fritzinger, who has been a volunteer at the track for years, said he had seen something in a column I wrote early last year and had to show me those bolts. On that occasion, I wrote about some of my adventures while in the Air Force in the 1950s and 1960s, including tasks I performed as a nuclear weapons technician.

On Monday I was lucky enough to be assigned to a news conference by Sen. Bob Casey up at the VFW Post 7293 in Whitehall Township. Sen. Casey, who was there to talk about problems in Veterans Affairs and a bill he wrote to address them, is one of the good guys in his field. But it wasn't his presence that made me feel lucky. It was, rather, the fact that I would be able to spend some time among the veterans, which is always time well spent. It's also worth visiting the Springmill Road post for just about any reason, because the view out the back takes in just about the whole Lehigh Valley, and there's an F-14 fighter plane on display in the bargain.

Joseph F. DeCenzo, an Army veteran of the European Theater in World War II, has become commander of Bethlehem's Post 855, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. DeCenzo moves up from senior vice commander to replace Ray Greene, who has led the post since 1988. Greene becomes post advocate and a service officer. Other officers seated for one-year terms are: William N. Subjin, senior vice commander; Robert Brockel, junior vice commander; Carl F. Spaeth, quartermaster; Howell Q. Strye, adjutant; John A. Baum, chaplain, and John J. Holzinger, surgeon.

Wayne Hower, manager of Lt. E.C. Baker VFW Post 1290 of Easton, was recently honored for his contributions to the Lehigh Valley chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The International Association of Firefighters Local 713 of Easton presented Hower with a plaque recognizing his continued support of the MDA at a ceremony at Central Fire Station. Hower has not only given his service to the MDA, he has been involved in fund raisers and donated equipment and the use of the VFW building to the association.

Aaron C. Esterly, 71, of 1206 W. Cumberland St., Allentown, died Thursday in Sacred Heart Hospital. He was the husband of Lois L. (Bitler) Esterly. They observed their 32nd wedding anniversary in October. He worked for Purolator Courier Corp., Allentown, before retiring in 1977 as a courier, and previously was employed by the Philadelphia, Bethlehem and New England Railroad. An Army veteran of World War II, Esterly was past commander and president of VFW Post 13, Allentown, and past president of the United Veterans.

Frank J. "Checkie" Lang, 69, of 213 E. 10th St., Northampton, died Monday in his home. He was the husband of Mary R. Lang. They were married 41 years in February. Lang was a railroad car inspector for the former Central Railroad of New Jersey and Pennsylvania Railroad for 42 years until retiring in 1984. Born in Northampton, he was a son of the late John and Theresa (Simon) Lang. He was a veteran of the Armed Forces of World War II, serving in the Normandy Campaign. He was a co-founder, past commander and first post-quartermaster of VFW Post 4714, Northampton, and was the first treasurer of the Home Association.

When Leroy Yearby, 71, died on Sept. 19, nobody stepped forward to claim the body of the down-on-his-luck Korean War veteran. Members of the Bucks County coroner's office and the staff at the Briarleaf Nursing and Convalescent Home in Doylestown, where Yearby spent the last four years, tried to find a family member. "He once said something about a daughter," said Rita Thornton, a Briarleaf employee who befriended Yearby. "I asked if he wanted me to call her or write her, and he said, "No, she has enough problems of her own.' He'd change the subject whenever asked about her."

The Emmaus Veterans Association has dropped a lawsuit it filed against the state's Veterans of Foreign Wars organization over the April shutdown of the group's Emmaus headquarters. William K. Malkames, the attorney who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Emmaus veterans group, said the organization held elections after the lawsuit was filed in Lehigh County Court and elected new officers who decided to drop the suit. "There is no longer any crisis," he said. The dispute began in April when the state organization closed down the VFW building at 316 Main St., Emmaus.

The state Department of Veterans of Foreign Wars claims the Emmaus Veterans Association's board of directors is made up of members not qualified to serve in that role and that the board was improperly elected, according to court papers filed in Lehigh County Court. The state VFW's recent court filing, which says any actions taken or decisions made by the "improperly constituted" Emmaus board should be invalidated, sheds some light on the ongoing dispute between the state organization and the Emmaus group.

I would like to say "thank you" to the ROTC students from the two high schools in Allentown and to the Cub and Boy Scouts from the area who helped VFW Post 2124 in Allentown. These youths were up early on a Saturday morning, May 19, to help replace the flags at Grandview and Highland cemeteries. There was a lot of walking in these two cemeteries. Not enough is said about the good that our youths do today. You only hear about what they have done wrong. So our post would like to say, "Great job kids and thank you. " It would have taken us a long time to get the job done if not for their help.

LEHIGH COUNTY EMMAUS MORAVIAN CHURCH, 148 Main St., is taking orders for Moravian sugar cake and lovefeast buns. Cakes are $5 and buns are $6 a dozen. To order, call Melissa Heckman at 610-965-6067 by Wednesday. Orders may be picked up 9-11 a.m. Saturday. Proceeds will benefit the Camp Hope scholarship fund at the church. THE MILITARY NURSING CORPS OF PENNSYLVANIA, VFW Post 12099, is seeking new members and welcomes veterans. Current members have served in every conflict from WWII to active status in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Parkland High School history teacher Dale Ritter received the Pennsylvania VFW's "Voice of Democracy Teacher of the Year" award. Ritter was nominated to receive the award by VFW Post 12099. The award recognizes high school educators who encourage their students to study and write about the important role that veterans have played in protecting and preserving America's freedom. Ritter, an Army veteran, is in his ninth year as a social studies teacher at Parkland after teaching for seven years at Wilson Area High School.

LEHIGH COUNTY •IN THE ALLENTOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT: Donna M. Daday, Holly Edinger and Jeff Glazier, retiring board directors, will be honored at the board of directors meeting at 7:30 p.m Nov. 17 at the administration center. Allen High School will hold College Night at 6:30 p.m. Monday. More than 20 colleges will participate. It will be open to parents and guardians. Community fun day will be held 3-6 p.m. Saturday in the Milo Sewards gymnasium. Representatives from community service agencies will participate and there will be performances by Dieruff and Allen students and the Repertory Dance Theatre.

Tony LoBue is on his third American flag. The first two are in tatters, but not for lack of care. No, they have become worn and faded from traveling thousands of miles with LoBue, who has launched a veterans' awareness campaign by walking and hitchhiking from San Diego to New York City. The journey began Sept. 11, 2010, and he plans to finish on Sept. 11 for the ground zero commemoration. The third bright and fresh American flag on a large wooden pole never left the side of "Tony the Vet" as he traveled about three miles through Allentown Wednesday.

I am proud that I fought for my country. On this special day, Veterans Day, I always thank God that I came home. I was stationed in the Pacific. Three out of four of us brothers all were overseas and fighting for our country. I think of my dear mother and what she must have gone through. There were no cell phones, so we wrote home when we could. Since then, I have been actively involved in VFW Post 4714 in Northampton, until about five years ago. I am now 89 years old, but I remember marching in every Memorial Day parade with this post and appearing in uniform at many a veteran's funeral.